NOt happy with interview

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etoolky1

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If you weren't happy with your interview who would you contact?
 
Your mom.
😀
 
Profchaos said:
Your mom.
😀
👎

If you were unhappy because the interviewer was blatantly discriminatory, or your topic of discussion was very inappropriate, you should contact the dean of admissions.

But, before you do that, you should get the advice of someone to confirm if you do have reason to complain. It might look bad if you're complaining just because the interviewer asked tough Q's. You could share it here, or pm someone like gavin if you don't want to share.
 
delicious said:
👎

If you were unhappy because the interviewer was blatantly discriminatory, or your topic of discussion was very inappropriate, you should contact the dean of admissions.

But, before you do that, you should get the advice of someone to confirm if you do have reason to complain. It might look bad if you're complaining just because the interviewer asked tough Q's. You could share it here, or pm someone like gavin if you don't want to share.


I don't want to complain. I just know my interviewer was not prepared (I handed him my info from the schools office at the beginning of the interview). Anyway I put alot of work into my AADSAS app. and he only had my gpa and dat scores. 🙁 The school was my first choice and I am very serious about pursueing a dental education. So the interview went BAD and I need to talk to someone that really knows what they are talking about such as the Dean. I am tired of dealing with people at the dental schools that don't really know what they are talking about. I am just really frustated with this whole process. I'm sure that others have been through worse application cycles but now I can say I understand
 
etoolky1 said:
I don't want to complain. I just know my interviewer was not prepared (I handed him my info from the schools office at the beginning of the interview). Anyway I put alot of work into my AADSAS app. and he only had my gpa and dat scores. 🙁 The school was my first choice and I am very serious about pursueing a dental education. So the interview went BAD and I need to talk to someone that really knows what they are talking about such as the Dean. I am tired of dealing with people at the dental schools that don't really know what they are talking about. I am just really frustated with this whole process. I'm sure that others have been through worse application cycles but now I can say I understand

Interviewer not being prepared is super-common. And just because he/she didn't have your AADSAS file in front of them, doesn't mean it won't be discussed at the ADCOM meetings. I wouldn't say anthing about this to anyone.

Instead, write the Dean of Admissions or your interviewer an email saying how much you loved their school, and how it is hands-down your first choice. That's all you can really do. Good luck.
 
delicious said:
Interviewer not being prepared is super-common. And just because he/she didn't have your AADSAS file in front of them, doesn't mean it won't be discussed at the ADCOM meetings. I wouldn't say anthing about this to anyone.

Instead, write the Dean of Admissions or your interviewer an email saying how much you loved their school, and how it is hands-down your first choice. That's all you can really do. Good luck.

I have not received a rejection letter YET. So does my interviwer report back to who and then what. I don't know what happens (new to this whole process)
 
delicious said:
Interviewer not being prepared is super-common. And just because he/she didn't have your AADSAS file in front of them, doesn't mean it won't be discussed at the ADCOM meetings. I wouldn't say anthing about this to anyone.

Instead, write the Dean of Admissions or your interviewer an email saying how much you loved their school, and how it is hands-down your first choice. That's all you can really do. Good luck.


I agree with delicious. Don't make a spectacle of the situation or yourself. Not having a rejection letter at least means that they haven't rejected you and that you are likely on their alternate list. I had an interview in which the interviewers had not read my file ahead of time (*cough* Maryland) and that made for a strange interview experience to say the least. I left with a bad impression of the school as a result, only I didn't send a thank you note in return but rather went out that night with a couple of friends and brushed the ordeal off.
 
etoolky1 said:
I have not received a rejection letter YET. So does my interviwer report back to who and then what. I don't know what happens (new to this whole process)

I think the way most schools work is that the interviewer is sorta like your representative to the Admissions committee. The admissions committee is made up of a bunch of people: dentists, students, researchers. They meet, and your interviewer presents you. I'm pretty sure they'd go over your whole file at this point: looking at your extracurrics and such. They discuss, and then they vote on you, and if you get so many votes you're in I guess. Try not to stress about this too much. I got in at some of my worst interviews. Really awful interviews - that I have since erased from my memory.
 
in my experience a lot of times the interviewer doesn't really care about your actual file - the admission comittee can read that for themselves. many times the interviewer's job appears to be to talk to you as a person, find out how you come off socially, how you present yourself and talk to people, what your personal interests are or feelings about different topics or situations.... all the little things that there is no way to find out by looking at your file, which they don't need you there to do. in fact, unless there was a specific question or concern about a specific aspect of the application, I don't think any of my interviewers spent much time directly discussing its contents.

and hey, feeling bad coming out of an interview happens to just about everyone at least once i bet. i can clearly remember my worst interview of the cycle and how i knew walking out that i didn't much like the people at the school and they didn't much like me.. it just happens. if it's your first choice school maybe you could email or call your interviewer or another admissions person and just thank them again and communicate that it's your first choice school and you would definitly go there if you got in.

bottom line is i really don't think you'd be well recieved calling and saying your interviewer wasn't prepared since it's pretty common and possibly even part of their planned interview routine not to talk about your file.
 
At my NYU interview, the interviewer asked me whether I would take financial aid... I thought that was an unfair question to ask, i dont feel it is any of her business on how I finance my education. But I cant tell her that because I trying to set an impression. What does financial aid have to do with anything????? as long as I pay the bill... why should she care how i do it......grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............

She also tried to talk me into living in university housing, spending the $1700/month on rent, instead of commuting.
 
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I just interviewed at a school and though I know it is a great school, the reception, interview and basically everything about my "interview" (if you can call it that) sucked. This was the first negative experience I've had at an interview. If people seem like they really don't care, then they really don't. It's life, you just move on.
 
Part of good interviewing skills is being able to control the direction of the interview. Consider it a good lesson for the future. "Interviewing for Dummies" could be a wise investment.
 
What are you expecting? If the Interviewer doesn't have all your info, it is your chance to step up and tell him the things you want to emphasize. It is a big mistake to sit there glassy eyed and wait for them to ask a question then respond with some typical answer that 300 students gave before. The idea is to show a little personality. You can quite literally say anything(well almost):

WHy do you want to be a dentist? I was bit by a frog when I was 5. +long explantion. When you are answering the question you have the ball and can talk for as long as you want until they stop you.

as opposed to a cliched response. Half the questions I got at my interviews had nothing to do with Dentistry or the school.
 
airvent said:
If the Interviewer doesn't have all your info, it is your chance to step up and tell him the things you want to emphasize.

I totally agree with airvent. That statement is worth millions!!! Don't be shy...it's like you are on a talk show and you are selling a product. You have to take charge and be forward in telling them why you're smart enough, can handle the work load, have experiences..... Stretch an inch into a mile. If you only did a couple of volunteerships, make them seem like they were the work of Mother Theresa. Dont lie, but realize they know nothing about you, you know everything, so spit it out! good luck
 
I have a feeling that the OP's interview didn't go so well. Yes, the interviewer wasn't well prepared, but I believe most of us have innate "feelings" of how an interview turned out. I'm sorry if this was your number one choice school, and I don't want to sound negative, but if you are feeling bad about your interview, then you know the outcome most likely. Good luck with the rest of the schools and if this was your first interview, consider it a learning experience.
 
wimmcs said:
... but if you are feeling bad about your interview, then you know the outcome most likely.

That's a pretty terrible and meaningless conclusion there wimmcs. 🙁 It ain't over till the fat lady sings.
 
delicious said:
That's a pretty terrible and meaningless conclusion there wimmcs. 🙁 It ain't over till the fat lady sings.


Again, as I stated before, I don't mean to sound negative and you are right, it isn't over yet. But, I do have over 7 years experience in the staffing/recruiting/Human Resources field, so I do know a little about what I'm talking about when it comes to "hiring" someone and I was just stating my opinion.
 
The thing to remember is these people are not professional interviewers. They don't have the training as most HR professionals. I had an interview with a "private" school in New York (not NYU). We spent at least 40 minutes talking about my achievements. I have an MBA, worked as a director for a Fortune 500 company, and have a 21 on my DAT. After I told her all that she still asked me why I took some of my pre-req's at a junior college. And then she asked me to tell her my strengths like she couldn't pick it up during the conversation. Obviously she was very inexperienced. Any experienced interviewer asked more relevant questions. She was simply going off her qeustion list. It was disappointing because that was one of my top choices. But what can you do about it? Life goes on. Just make sure you do better next time and try to control the interview. Besides you don't know where you stand until you actually receive a response. Good Luck and try to stay postive. 🙂
 
wimmcs said:
Again, as I stated before, I don't mean to sound negative and you are right, it isn't over yet. But, I do have over 7 years experience in the staffing/recruiting/Human Resources field, so I do know a little about what I'm talking about when it comes to "hiring" someone and I was just stating my opinion.
I don't know if it's necessarily true that if you walk away with a bad feeling, you pretty much know the outcome. Of the 4 interviews that I went on, I had a "good" feeling about only 1 of them, yet I was accepted to all the schools. It's just kind of my nature to be pessimistic or doubting, and perhaps the OP has a similar attitude. The post above me (I forget the screenname) makes a very valid point that many of these interviewers are not HR people.

I encourage the OP to stay positive...you just don't know until you get that phone call or letter in the mail.
 
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